It's Made of People!!!!

First off let me apologize. My last post was on the seventh and it is now the 25Th. That's almost 3 weeks. A good chunk of stuff has happened since then. I had a birthday (31), I have been going to the gym, and oh yeah working! I'll be glad once its February. The good news is my company is doing well so we are looking to end the year on a good note and it makes you feel good when you know that you contributed to a part of that.

This weekend I'm going to a party and we will be having a personalized Tarot Card reading. I think it will be great fun. I know my friend Moe did one for me a couple of years ago and a lot of the stuff happened to come true. So I will be curious to see what the professional has to say. My boss gave me a good site to go and read your horoscope. Its called AstrologyZone.Com just click on that and you'll be brought to the reading for January if you want your own just select your own from the drop down list. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I will be in store for a good year. That's good news considering what a bang up year the last one was. For instance this is how it starts:

The year 2008 is just made for you! Last month, on December 18, Jupiter, the great planet of happiness and good fortune, moved into Capricorn for the first time since 1996 to stay until January 2009, a full year. This marks the dawning of a whole new era for you, one that will erase so many of the disappointments of the past.

Erasing disappointments; I like the sound of that. Well its my year to make it happen. I already made a major goal of mine this morning actually. For the first time in years I clocked in under 300 lbs. I have no particular shame in reporting that because I know it will never happen again. I thought I did that some years ago when I was on Atkins but I know the scale was old and unreliable. I feel much better this time around, and healthier I might add. I'm well on my way and with the new exercise regiment and good "diet" I am consistently losing from week to week and that matters more than a number on the scale. Plus I am feeling lighter which is always a good thing. If I keep up this trend I will be in great shape this summer. Why is that so important? Well I plan on going to the beach but something I have not shared yet was my major motivations. I want to be able to hike, not just a hill, but a mountain again. Not a big one. I don't want to delude myself but I used to do that in school and I miss it. I got so out of shape and did not realize it. I do like being outside, sans the bugs of course but I can deal. During my short lived career as a Boy Scout I got a few Badges one naturally was cooking, another was Orienteering. I loved plotting courses and hiking. So this summer I think I am going to pick a mountain and do it. Hopefully someone will want to accompany me.

OK I need to vent a little. I'm doing my weight loss thing right, and in the morning I have these Muffins that are made of sprouted grains. I have been eating these things for over a year now and despite the obvious Christian overtones to the brand I enjoyed it. You may have seen them. Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain muffins. Great stuff especially toasted. Since processed food is the devil this in turn must be the shining archangel of breakfast delights. Here is an excerpt from the Bible verse that inspired the food:

"Take also unto thee Wheat, and Barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and Spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make bread of it..."

So all good stuff, and sprouted grains means more fiber and while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle more fiber is better. It cleanses the system and absorbs toxins and other nasty bits that you don't want in you. However speaking of cleansing the system our find friends over at Food For Life must have stopped reading after that passage because Ezekiel 4:12 says:

"And thou shalt eat it [as] barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight."

WWHHAATTT???!!!! I am not lying that's the verse. One can only wonder why that was left out of the marketing material.

The Ice Man Cometh . . .

January 8th, 1998

Do you remember where you were then? I do and it wasn't so temperate as it is today. A friend of mine sent me an article this morning. Talking about the events of that day and I must admit I can't believe it was ten years ago.

Most you who read won't know what the hell I'm talking abuot because for most of America it was a normal winter day. However in Vermont, Maine, New York and Canada it was distinctly different. I won't get too technical I don't want to lose you all.

Everyone who lives in a region of the country that receives snow knows about freezing rain. Normally the conditions have to be just right with the perfect amount of percipitation and temperature change. Most times it will last for a few hours coat everything and take down a tree or electrical pole. Then the next day the sun comes out and its all pretty. Such was not the case 10 years ago. A low pressure system was over the great lakes was churning up warm air from the south, a high pressure system in Northern Canada was funneling arctic from the North which normally would be the right conditions for a major snow and ice event. Well to add things to the mix there was an unsually large High Pressure system sitting in Bermuda. Normally this does not happen in Winter. What it did was cause the other to system to sit and not move.

Causing the Canadian Maritimes to be pummeled with feet of snow, and for southern New England there was a lot of rain so much so that there was flooding. For me and everyone else in the areas I metioned earlier it was nothing but freezing rain. It wasn't just one day either it lasted for at least 3 if not 4 in some places. I was living in Burlington,VT at the time and I was on break from school still, while working for Toys 'R' Us on the side. I remember work closing. I remember my roommate needing to go in to work since he worked front desk at the Holiday Inn and there was plenty of stranded people who needed room. I remember trying to drive some co-workers home and I remember how eirie everything was.

Normal business was shut down. It was worse than snow. I dare say worse than the infamous blizzard of '78 in the area of damage. Normally you could expect to receive several millimeters of ice on any given storm thats about .25 of an inch. During this storm there were places that received about 100mm's of ice thats about 4 inches. That will take down trees and electrical poles and thats just what it did. In fact, in Canada alone there were 35,000 electrical poles down which is impressive by itself. Believe it or not though in the worst part it also took down electrical pylons, those are those hug steel towers that hold up high tension wires. The ice was so thick that it managed to down about 1,000 of them as well. Needless to say we all lost power. Fortunately we had a fireplace and were able to keep warm. Others were not so lucky and needed to be sheltered which meant driving in it, or using generators which because of all the ice ended up killing a few people with Carbon Monoxide.

It was not pretty but it was exhillerating. I remember that we needed to get gas so we had to drive to the only gas station that was open. It was dark, and we road along the highway. It was not just ice that was falling for the 3 days there was plenty of thunder and lightning as well. While we drove down the highway I remember thinking there was another storm coming because I was seeing all this lightning. I was wrong there was no thunder accompanying the "lightning" in fact it wasn't lightning at all. It was downed powerlines all over the city and country causing the skies to light up periodically. It was at this point that I knew I was l living in a disaster area. Snow can be dealt with, water can flood out, but the ice stayed. It can't be shoveled and it can't run off. You could only hope that it would melt and unfortunately that would not be the case because the cold air came pouring in behind and made it all rock hard.

The area was devastated in fact damages can still be seen today. Damage estimates at the end were between 4-6 Billion dollars. I remember it was about a week later that my friend and I went to Montreal for my birthday. Half the city still had no power and the drive up was depressing. I can't estimate how many trees were damaged and destoyed but they have to be in the hundreds of thousands. By all acounts this was a natural disaster. I have lived through Hurricanes (not big ones), I have been buried in blizzards, I avoided a Tornado or two, and met a microburst headon, but never have I been in something so destructive before. For as much as I love the weather and enjoy seeing it happen I can't help but feel a bit humbled by seeing something so raw and natural happen. It demands respect and all to often forget that and thats when people get hurt. I just hope that something like that never happens again.

Happy Mungday!

Ever have one of those times were you see someone and you are completely smitten with them yet you know there is no way anything could ever happen? That was me yesterday. I saw someone that I hadn't seen in years now. I can't believe its been over 5 years. Anyways despite the fact that he changed a little bit he still had that impact on me. Despite the fact that nothing could ever happen I couldn't help but feel giddy after talking with him. It just put me in a good mood for the rest of the evening.

So yes I'm working today it will be worth it when the company makes the year. I actually like it on the weekend sometimes I get alot done. I know I sound like a work aholic but I am not really. I just want to do my share so that I know that when the year ends I did everything I could plus some.

I think I may do a little shopping later then take in a movie. Of course all of that is after the gym. I think after a dose of Ibuprofen earlier today my little aches and pains are gone. I just haven't decided what to see yet. I'm thinking either Sweeney Todd or National Treasure. I think I'll be out near Natick, but if I work my way to the city I think I might see The Savages. Either way I'll be sure to write about it.

Anyone have $5 Billion laying around I could borrow?

Before I start I just want to say that I have been doing lovely on my diet and exercise routine so far this year. Granted its been 3 days but its always harder in the beginning. However there have been things I have been doing all along to contribute to good health. So I am very cognizant of when everybody else decides to jump on the band wagon. Today was one of those instances. I went to Fresh City for lunch (gasp!) I know I go there all the time, and if you are reading this and you are a co-worker stop laughing. Anyways the point I want to make is that so many people have made the "lose weight" resolution that they now pack the place in. Yesterday was way to crowded and today the actually had someone stand out front and tell people how the lined moved in case it was there first time there. I can support the better eating bandwagon but if you are not careful you can be just as bad there as anywhere else. There was one guy today who it was obviously is first time there. I am not thoroughly convinced that he was there for any better eating. If he was, then just because he ate the salad bar does not mean he did himself any favors. His salad consisted of a little lettuce, a slice of cucumber, salami, turkey, shredded cheese, bacon bits, regular blue cheese dressing, and croûtons. Oh and I left out the egg. I don't think he's going to be feeling any lighter after that, but who knows it could be much better than what he normally eats. Who am I to judge.

Anyways about the $5 Billion. I need it so I can purchase something. O000 what could it be? Well apparently The Weather Channel is up for sale! OK stop rolling your eyes!!! Do you know what fun it could be. I mean imagine it! I always loved the weather and had believed at one point in time that I would be a weatherman. While shoes have been good to me I do sometimes wonder what would have happened if I stayed on that path. I think it would be fun to own the station. There would be so many graphics and stings that Fox News would be put to shame. Local weather could be updated to something a little more appropriate that muzak versions of Michael McDonald and Kenny G.

Think about it not only would it be cutting edge graphics and information, but it could get a little more personalized. We could have the Shoe Forecast. Letting people know what kind of footwear they need to put on for the weekend. The Weekend outlook will let you know if you should be heading to the movies or walking the beach. It could let you know where all the cool parties would be. Storm Stories could focus on conditions and the stupid people who ignore them and cause accidents like all those SUV's. Well its just a thought.

Day 1 of 2008

Well the day is almost done and sad to say I kept this one pretty mellow. Just did some organizing and drafted up some information for the biggest loser competition I am doing at work. I needed the day to recover a bit. I spent the night at Jessica and Martin's place last night since I really did not want to be driving back to Boston at 2 AM in the morning. Plus it also allowed to have a little last hurrah with some drinks. Really can't think of a better way to celebrate the New Year than with some good friends. I know some day I'll go to Times Square but not right now. I suppose I could go to First Night Boston but I think I prefer the friends to strangers in this case. So far 2008 seems to be going well. Lets hope it stays that way. I think this is going to be a busy month. Between work, working out, and a few parties going on here and there it will most likely be February before I know it. Well I'm off to bed for now. Take care.